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Steve Johnson (special effects artist)
| birth_place = Houston, Texas, U.S. | nationality = American | residence = Los Angeles, California | known_for = special effects | years_active = 1980–present | spouse = Linnea Quigley (1990 – 1992). Constance Zimmer (1999-2001). }} Steve Johnson (born Steven Marcus Johnson; February 7, 1960)Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997. Texas: Texas Department of State Health Services, microfiche roll number 1960_0008. is an American special effects artist whose career has spanned more than thirty years. His work has appeared in over 200 film and television projects. Most of his work is in horror and science fiction projects, though he has occasionally created effects for other films, such as The Rundown (2003) and Spider-Man 2 (2004). Early life Johnson was born in Houston, Texas. As a child, Johnson watched Universal Studios monster films and the Hammer films. These films inspired him to become a special effects artist. Johnson's biggest influences are Jack Pierce (makeup artist), Dick Smith (makeup artist) and Rick Baker (makeup artist). While he was still attending high school, Johnson met one of his idols, Rick Baker. Though Baker wasn't impressed with Johnson's portfolio, he acknowledged Johnson's problem solving talent and helped get him one of his first monumental jobs, as part of the special makeup effects crew on the 1981 horror blockbuster An American Werewolf in London, directed by John Landis. Career Johnson's first work in film was the 1980 film The Fog, though he was uncredited for his work. In 1984, Johnson received another huge job; he was asked to come and work on a new project by Ivan Reitman, called Ghostbusters. Johnson created "Slimer" for the film, as well as the "librarian ghost." Johnson started his own effects company after Ghostbusters, called "Steve Johnson's XFX," which also created creatures for the films Species, Poltergeist II, and The Stand. In 1989 Johnson worked on The Abyss, directed by James Cameron, which became one of the biggest blockbusters of the year. He created the breathtaking "alien" creatures for the film's climax. Johnson and his effect crew also worked on the hit science fiction series Stargate SG-1, creating the Goa'uld serpents. An entire chapter focusing on his effects work was included in a book written by Anthony Timpone that focused solely on the work of special effects artists in film.Timpone, Anthony. Men, Makeup, and Monsters: Hollywood's Masters of Illusion and FX. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1996. Johnson's career in effects has been spotlighted and featured prominently in books written by Thomas Morawetz Morawetz, Thomas. Making Faces, Playing God: Identity and the Art of Transformational Makeup. Texas: University of Texas Press, 2001. and Rama Venkatasawmy Venkatasawmy, Rama (2012). The Digitization of Cinematic Visual Effects: Hollywood's Coming of Age. New York: Lexington Books. ISBN 0739176218 In 2003, Johnson co-wrote, produced, and directed a short called Everloving. In addition to creating effects for films and television, Johnson is an instructor at the Stan Winston School of Character Arts. Acting Johnson had a cameo as an orderly in the 1992 vampire film Innocent Blood. He created the vampire effects for the film, and his then-wife Linnea Quigley also had a cameo as a nurse. Personal life Johnson was married to actress Linnea Quigley from 1990 to 1992. Awards and nominations * 1993, nominated for Saturn Award for 'Best Make-Up' for ''Highway to Hell'' (1991) by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films * 1994, co-nominated for Saturn Award for 'Best Make-Up' for ''Freaked'' (1993) by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films * 1994, won (shared) Primetime Emmy Award for 'Outstanding Individual Achievement in Makeup' for ''The Stand'' (1994) * 1995, won (shared) for 'Best Special Effects' for ''Species'' (1995) from Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival * 1995, won Universe Reader's Choice Award for 'Best Make-up in a Genre Motion Picture' for Species (1995) from Sci-Fi Universe Magazine * 1996, co-nominated for Saturn Awards for both 'Best Make-Up' and for 'Best Special Effects' for Species (1995) by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films * 1997, won (shared) Primetime Emmy Award for 'Outstanding Individual Achievement in Makeup' for ''The Shining'' (1997) * 2003, won Fangoria Chainsaw Award for 'Best Makeup/Creature FX' for ''Blade II'' (2002) * 2004, co-nominated for 'Best Special Makeup Effects' by Hollywood Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild Award for ''Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat'' (2003) Filmography Johnson has worked on the following films: *''The Fog'' (1980) *''Humanoids from the Deep'' (1980) *''Tanya's Island'' (1980) *''An American Werewolf in London'' (1981) *''Videodrome'' (1983) *''Ghostbusters'' (1984) *''Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes'' (1984) *''Fright Night'' (1985) *''Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf'' (1985) *''The Clan of the Cave Bear'' (1986) *''Big Trouble in Little China'' (1986) *''Poltergeist II: The Other Side'' (1986) *''Solarbabies'' (1986) *''Night of the Demons (1988 film)'' *''Dead Heat'' (1988) *''A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master'' (1988) *''Howling IV: The Original Nightmare'' (1988) *''Monsters'' (TV Series, 1989-1991) *''The Abyss'' (1989) *''A Grande Arte'' (1991) *''To Save a Child'' (TV movie) (1991) *''Highway to Hell (film)'' (1992) *''Pet Sematary II'' (1992) *''Innocent Blood'' (1992) *''The Temp'' (1993) *''Return of the Living Dead III'' (1993) *''Brainscan'' (1994) *''Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (film)'' (1994) *''Stephen King's The Stand'' (TV Mini-Series) (1994) (Emmy Award received) *''Night of the Demons 2'' (1994) *''The Surgeon'' (1995) *''Species (film)'' (1995) *''Lord of Illusions'' (1995) *''Here Come the Munsters'' (TV Movie, 1995) *''Visitors of the Night (film)'' (1995) *''Eraser (1996 film)'' *''The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996 film)'' *''Buddy'' (1997) *''Nightwatch (1997 film)'' *''Stephen King's The Shining'' (1997) (Emmy Award received) *''Stargate SG-1'' (TV series) (1997-2007) *''First Wave'' (TV series) (1998-2001) *''Host (film)'' (1998) *''Hulk'' (1998) (cancelled) *''Superman Lives'' (1998) (cancelled) *''Wrongfully Accused'' (1998) *''Bicentennial Man (film)'' (1999) *''Can of Worms'' (1999) *''Charmed'' (TV Series, 2 episodes, 1999) *''Monkeybone'' (2001) *''Blade II'' (2002) *''Star Trek: Nemesis'' (2002) *''Dreamcatcher (film)'' (2003) *''Everloving (short)'' (2003) *''The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (film)'' (2003) *''The Rundown'' (2003) *''The Cat in the Hat (film)'' (2003) *''Spider-Man 2'' (2004) *''The Village (2004 film)'' *''Constantine'' (2005) *''Fantastic Four'' (2005) *''Jarhead'' (2005) *''War of the Worlds (2005 film)'' (2005) *''Stay'' (2005) *''I Am Legend (film)'' (2007) *''Where the Wild Things Are (film)'' (2009) *''After Pool Beauty: with Jess (film)'' (2013) *''Fear Clinic'' (2014) References External links *Steve Johnson at IMDb *Steve Johnson's YouTube channel *Steve Johnson bio at Stan Winston School of Character Arts Category:1961 births Category:People from Houston, Texas Category:Special effects people Category:Visual effects artists Category:American make-up artists Category:Primetime Emmy Award winners